CBRE’s just-opened Toronto North office is its fourth GTA location to be revamped in the past 12 months as part of its Canadian workplace transformation program. Eight offices have been made over nationwide to date; Oakville is next. The Toronto North office, at 2005 Sheppard Ave. E, is targeting WELL building certification. (CBRE is responsible for four of Canada’s first 10 WELL projects.) “The air we breathe here is fresher than we breathe at home,” Toronto North managing director Adrian Lee said. No workstations are more than 25 feet from a window, and lighting automatically adjusts based on the time of day.

Eating at desks is verboten; staff are encouraged to gather at the RISE Café. “I’m seeing agents and brokers spending time there, connecting with support staff,” Lee said. “It’s created more of a community atmosphere.” The transformation was executed exclusively by CBRE service lines, including workplace strategy development, lease negotiations, project management and move management of 120 employees, with no hours lost to business downtime. And CBRE’s logo now adorns the top of 2005 Sheppard E for the first time in its 20 years there. “It’s a sign we’ll continue to own this market,” Lee said.